Sounds like if anyone actually wanted to make money in the Gulf states, they would get into the tree cutting business. Of course that would require working everyday, and not depending on the federal government to bail you out-a spirit I have yet to see in ANY news report regarding the people living in many of the Gulf States. The federal government can't be responsibile for everything, when are people going to learn that? Simply unbelievable.

A little self-help goes a long way. It doesn't take a college degree to cut down a tree. Parents should put their teenagers to work; let them do something productive for the family. Hard working teens might earn a pretty decent income from tree removal and can help their families during this tough time. Putting kids to work chopping down trees sure beats letting them sit on their rear ends all summer playing video games.

The USA that we live in today gives rise to all of the "why should I be paying to help you" rants. As Ann from Waveland and others have tried to point out, there ARE reasons why some things--like tree removals--aren't the top priority. I started to make a list of them, but what's the point? IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN the magnitude of the destruction, nor lived with the Gulf Coast residents to EXPERIENCE THE EVERYDAY CHALLENGES OF LIFE, you CANNOT UNDERSTAND the pervasive rebuilding of everything: homes, businesses, and lives. I know that for FACT.

I saw it, living there as a volunteer for three weeks in March. No radio talk show host, no rabid blogger mad because someone else is getting something from the government that she isn't getting, and not even seeing picture after picture of destruction can possibly make even the most selfish big-mouth understand what our fellow Americans in Hancock County, Mississippi are facing.

When you must routinely drive 40+ miles for needed things....when most have lived as if they were camping for a year, except with no home nor possessions to return to.....when groceries are bought at gas station convenience stores because there is no supermarket....when your family is dispersed across the country.....when your county's budget is tens of millions of dollars in the red because of this disaster...These are just a minute fraction of the challenges faced every single day.

I need to throw in the lack of medical facilities (all destroyed) and the doctors who are heeding the advice to "move away from there", fleeing the area to start again somewhere else. I was injured during my stay there, and the nearest possible medical treatment for my imjury was 95 miles away. So I did without until I was back home, 1,000 miles north.

And here's the real reason, the sad reason, for my posting. After living in Hancock County for three weeks, I witnessed the very hard, very tiring, and very persistent WORK that everyone there is doing day in and day out. No one is sitting around waiting for the TV cameraman to show up so they can complain. They are busy rebuilding their lives, and wondering why obstacles keep getting in their way from doing just that. Reading these

"Jeez, we're tired of this news--are we still paying for this? This was LAST YEAR'S disaster, for cryin' out loud?
postings does nothing more than make me realize too many ignorant people have computers now and know how to complain with them.

The cushy-computer-chair crowd needs to get off their rear ends and go see for themselves how things are working there. THEN, and only then, are they entitled to anything (like respect for their opinion) other than a big "Shut up NOW" from the rest of us. Of course, the Gulf Coast residents being upstanding and outstanding people, are too polite to say this, not to mention too busy to be bothered by it. So I'm happy to do it.

Buy a new chain saw for $200 ..
Cut down the tree (save $1300)
Call FEMA ..to remove tree "they missed in clean up"
THEN ..cut down trees for your neighbors for "just $200" ..and ask them to call FEMA for tree removal.
Make lots of money to pay for re-building your house instead of just "sitting around waiting for the insurance"...ask for cash..avoid taxes !

After Ivan in Sep 04, we were told the pine trees would come back. It appeared all of mine were dead, so except for one, I had them all removed 21 big ones. I left it intact just to see if it would come back. It hasn't, but the live oaks have.

$1500 a tree sounds like an excellent opportunity for young entreprenuers to start a buisness, especially since you get a chainsaw for the $200 dollars it used to take to cutdown a tree. It seems that the local residents have to decide whether or not it is cost effective to take care of the problem themselves or pay someone. I think that FEM
A is in a very difficult situation in trying to figure out just how to effectively spend our tax dollars. If a true disaster exist then I think the residents need to buy a how-to book and a chainsaw and get to cutting down those trees!!!!!!

In Palm Beach County, Florida after three hurricanes in two years, we now have huge canopies of pine trees being killed off by beetles. The experts are saying that the trees that are near the end of life, have been weaken by the storms and the drought we had this past winter are under attack by two types of beetles. Local communities may have to pay up to $660,000 to remove 50% of the dead trees on public properties. My Homeowners Association, this week, are having 26 trees that are dead or infested cut down and removed at a cost of $6,000. In my own yard I'm having one taken down for $250 because it cannot be dropped.

And no one has asked the FEMA nor should we. The government cannot fix everything and I would not expect them. FEMA is an emergency response agency after a catastrophe, not a year later clean up the yards and playgrounds of America.

I have a rule that helps me be get things done and successful, "If you see that some thing needs to be done, don't expect someone else to do it".

We in South Carolina faced the same issue after Hugo. I think each individual should be resposible for trees on private property. The usually are loggers who will come a take trees down just for the timber. The pines will not come back but most of the hardwood will as we witnessed after Hugo.

Pine should not be burned in fireplaces; it coats the chimney with creosote, creating a fire hazard. I pray no one pays attention to this stupid and dangerous suggestion. I wish you a lot of luck in your life's decisions because you will need it.

What Sherman didn't burn, the Boll Weevils ate, well until Katrina blew it all to Hell.

Look at it this way? Dat deem tree up dare is free far wood for a hell of a bond fire that you can use to spell out "Kiss by ass BUSH! You would be saving the Country money because we wouldn't have to poll everybody to wonder how they feel about their fearless leader. I'll sell you an ax and a file for $20 (four easy payments plus shipping of course) I agree with the statement "where there is a will, there is always a way" Have a chain saw? Use it. Does your neighbor have a Chain Saw? Buy Him some extra gas. Nobody has a chain saw? Have a come-a-long and a pick-up truck? Stop whining - Suck it up and get it done. No not everyone is a skilled lumber jack that can fell a tree on a steel pin, But everyone has a skill, use that to barter what you need done. Sit around and cry the blues about how Uncle "W" let you down and God will send you a bigger storm next year to show you who really is running the show. YES! the rest of the Country is reaching the enough mark about that bitch Katrina -
Show the rest of the Country you won't let a little wind storm beat you. If you don't beat it, your kid's kids (not to mention my's kid's dog) will being paying the tab for your failure to rise to the ocassion.

I lived through Hurricane Andrew and Miami lost 98%of their pine trees; what happens in the storm is that the tree is bent over by the wind and the sap line is snapped. The tree dies--after several years it will just rot away--look anywhere in South Florida and you will see these rotting and broken trees.

Don't people and neighborhoods have an obligation to take care of themselves a little bit? Why should you be waiting for a government agency to cut down a tree? I'm a private citizen, have a day job, but have cut down 10 or so trees myself this year. I didn't ask the government to do it, or for pemission, either. Just take responsibility for being alive. This level of dependency on government is insane, and economically un-sustainable.

New Englanders in Vermont, New hampshire, And Maine had been totally snowbound in their homes in the 70's under 6-8 feet of snow for 2-3weeks and these folks took it upon themselves to survive with lack of food, heat, & gov't assistance. Bush is in charge, our gov't is slow to assist the weak & helpless and FEMA is a festival of fools.

Pine trees are not FIREWOOD. If you think you can burn Pine in your fireplace for an extended peiod of time - I hope you have a wonderful fire department.

Most people do not have chainsaws and these trees cannot be sold to lumbermills because they are storm damaged and or beetle bored. They are not used for cork and I'm really not sure where there are any pulp wood yards that will take the stuff. We are local loggers that tried to help, by harvesting the trees while they were still able to be sold to the mills - at no cost to the landowners. The local and national govts. told us to go home - so we went home!!!
It's easy to set in your airconditioned homes and tell others what to do. The private property owners are not even around anymore - much less able or willing to cut down trees!! America needs to finally realize that, yes, we are responsible for ourselves and our property,
but when our government with "arms" speaks - you pretty much do as your told. Then we usually end up in messes like these.

I,ll be the first one to say that FEMA has no clue of what they are doing nor have they ever, but is really their responsability to deal with "Trees" on peoples private property. You know the risk of hurricanes and what they can do when you move into an area like that. Everyone wants a hand out anymore. Go buy a saw, a pair of gloves and get to work cutting down yourselves.

How bout building houses so people don't have to live in contaminated trailers???? Good points people. Maybe we should take over this on going recovery project?

Home ownership is expensive no matter where you live. Private homeowners are responsible for removing dead and damaged trees. But because of Katrina, these gulf coast homeowners are overwhelmed with the enormity of the situation. Add price gouging which allows a $200 removal charge to grow to a $1500 charge per tree and people need some help. Where is the state and local government? The local representative to the state legislature immediately should bring a bill to disallow price gouging after an emergency or natural disaster. Price increases on necessary services and construction should be limited to a 40 or 50% increase over the local cost prior to the event. If price gouging were stopped, then homeowners would be more able to help themselves. Utility companies need to lend their expertise and hire out their tree removal services to homeowners at a REDUCED RATE. The state and local politicians need to take charge here. Money is scarce, but if you have no money, you can't help yourself. It is a hard cruel fact, but the reality of Katrina may force some of these former homeowners to choose being a renter and giving up the expense of home ownership. Displaced seniors without family support are the most vulnerable. Maybe we need "senior villages" with smaller units and shared property maintenance. Life is difficult for everyone, but we do need to be both sympathetic and realistic in solving these issues. Good luck to the beautiful gulf coast.

I'm surprised that nearby logging companies have not expressed an interest in the wood, whether it be for their pulp content for paper products, making toothpicks or even their lumber content for building materials, many would produce a number of board feet of good lumber. Better yet, I would imagine that the trees are readily accessible from roads and other locations, far more so than logging the side of a mountain so the loggers expense for removal would be low, which gives them incentives to take them because they can profit from the end product(s). So why not offer them to loggers for free, if they will come remove them?

Immediately after the storm hit us a friend was out cleaning up debris and cutting trees in his yard in Abita Springs, La.. Something went wrong, the tree hit him in the head and he died in route to the hospital. He was in his 40's and his wife is now a widow. She has lost everything - literally.

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT USE CHAINSAWS OR ATTEMPT TO CUT DOWN TREES UNLESS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING!

Personally, I had over 40 trees on my property downed or partially downed. Most of the smaller ones my husband has cut with a chainsaw and we have stacked for firewood. (It is a misconception that we do not have fireplaces down here) My brother-in-law from Georgia helped us take down a very large pine in our front yard, next to our house. That was down right scarey to watch and we were thankful it did not hit our house or the power lines. My brother-in-law had experience cutting trees - but if you don't know what you are doing YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT IT!!

I personally still have 10 or more trees some of which are pushed over (with roots balls exposed)as big as 10 feet high. They WILL have to be removed professionally - SOMEDAY when we have recovered financially.

What you apparently don't understand around the country is that we have been screwed by insurance companies (Allstate now trying to cancel wind and hail coverage at the start of hurricane season!), the feds, mortage companies, building contractors and our local governments......not to mention the out of town contractors down here charging 3 times the fair rate because it's a disaster area and they are nothing but greedy.

The lessons we have and ARE learning the hard way is a lesson PEOPLE FROM ALL STATES should be paying attention to .......because next time it may be YOU no matter where you live. If you think you are immune from disasters just because you live inland you are an idiot!

We are not looking for handouts - that the MEDIA folks and a very small percentage of the population!
Frankly, we are sick of hearing how lazy we are from posters like some of you.....it's NOT about being lazy - its about being OVERWHELMED first emotionally (many people lost all their belongings, their homes and some family members) - then FINANCIALLY (personally I was out of work and evacuated for close to two months) and then when you finally get to come home you work 40+ hours, negotiate with all of the government agencies/builders/tree cutters/etc. etc. etc. and when that is all done you go out and spend time on your property cleaning and clearing.

Like someone said earlier on this site....don't send money - COME DOWN, DRING YOUR CHAINSAWS AND EQUIPMENT AND HELP SOMEONE!

People in La/Ms are good people....we would have done the same for you! Get a heart people

It used to cost $200 to remove a tree and now it costs $1500?!?!? Where are the authorites who are supposed to safeguard against gouging? Forget the morally bankrupt individuals who would charge these prices; show me the elected officials who allow this to go on and I'll show you the real culprits.

Wow, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm from Springfield, IL too. A few points to make...First: our recent tornado here in Springfield was NOTHING compared to the devastation in the Gulf area. Second: let's talk about insurance coverage. My excellent homeowner's insurance only covered $500 for tree removal from our tornado (my bill was $1200 and I still have stumps that will have to be removed). I had already paid $1000 just last fall to have dead wood removed so I wouldn't have tree damage in a storm. The insurance companies aren't wanting to pay for "flood" damage in the Gulf area so I'm sure they won't want to pay full price for tree removal. Where would a homeowner, already reeling from Katrina, find the extra cash to pay out of pocket for professional tree removal?? Third: yes, you need professional tree removal. Many people, every year, are killed or maimed by trying to remove trees themselves. Fourth: yes, it would be great if professional tree workers could get into the area to do the work. I know licensed and experienced workers who went to the Gulf area to try to work and were so frustrated by the red tape required that they gave up. Fifth: it's not that these people are lazy, they are TIRED!! It's been a struggle for them just to live day to day. And guess what, hurricane season is just around the corner. We are no better prepared for the next one....no, we haven't learned a thing.

when i read all this , i think its awfull to charge that much for a tree to remove.how can plain people pay for that.I have a pine tree ,suddenly dies i dont know why its tall and brown now.I dont know where to find someone to cut my tree,and sure i cant do it myself and get a chainsaw iam 65 years old .But i will keep trying to get someone to cut my tree myself.

Yes, Dan, it's sad...if you want a licensed, bonded and insured tree removal service you will pay up to that much, per tree, for removal. Most don't want to be bothered for less, and frankly don't have to be because even at those exorbidant prices they have plenty of work, mostly for the cities and counties who have to use licensed, bonded and insured tree removal, and since FEMA picks up the bill for most of the city/county tree removal, the elected officials don't really care. Oh, you can get an unlicensed and uninsured jack-leg for less, but you're on your own if he drops the tree on your house or power lines. Cutting small trees yourself is fine, but many of the dead trees are southern pines, 40 to 50 feet tall. If they're within 50 ft of a power line or road or house, you can't just drop them. They don't always fall the way they're supposed to even if you cut the wedge right, because when they are that tall the wind shifts them unpredictably, twisting them as they fall. The only safe way to cut a tall dead pine in a residential area around houses and power lines is from the top in 10 or 12 ft sections and letting them drop to the ground. That means having bucket truck. As firewood, pine trees are worthless. The sap residue builds up in the chimney and causes a chimney fire. And pulpwood mills aren't going to pay anybody anything for trees when they've got an endless supply of free trees being delivered to them daily by FEMA-paid tree removal contractors.
It's a whole different world down here now than most of you are used to, America.

As much as I feel for indivduals that experience disaster, there does come a time when you must become responsible for yourself and yours. I do think it is the responsibility of the local, state and federal government to provide urgent care in the immediate crisis - HOWEVER - This is becoming a chronic condition. I think it is time to stop asking what your government can do for you, and start asking what you can do for yourself.

Does anybody remember where FEMA gets its money to pay for all the cleanup? All of us, the American taxpayers! I'm tired of my tax dollars going to people unwilling to help themselves. Need money to pay for tree service? Remember how you spent the debit cards given to those in the disaster areas were spent? Breast implants, season tickets, lap dances and the like. Remember hurricane Charlie the year before? My neighbors and I cleaned up the mess ourselves on our property. No handouts, no FEMA. Just a willingness to get the job done without a lot of whining. So I say to you, get off you butt and get to work!